What is SUPtember?
‘SUP’ stands for ‘single-use plastics’ (as well as ‘stand-up paddle’ boards! – they are good SUPs, single-use plastics are bad SUPs!)
SUPtember is a month of activities aimed at reducing the amount of plastic in our environment. This includes reducing the production and use of (bad) SUPs, increasing the recycling of plastics, cleaning up plastic in the environment, and calling for more SUPs to be banned.
Young paddlers help clean up the Macquarie River with Western Paddlers NSW and Dubbo Rivercare.
SUPtember 2021
We ran a Club Clean-up Challenge: which club could get the most number of people participating over the month? Winners will be announced soon. Most paddles were solo (due to lockdowns) but this goes to show you don’t need big flash clean up events – everyone can pick up a few bits of rubbish each time you paddle! The Club Clean-up Challenge also includes a prize for best photo and most creative activity. Stay tuned for winners!
Looking cool for a cause: we launched our up-cycled ‘pick up while you paddle’ and ‘paddle against plastic’ clothing range. Thanks to Boomerang Alliance and Ocean Crusaders for their support with this. Contact us to get a shirt/jacket/shorts or bag pack sent. The bags come in a pack with cards to thank a cafe for using non-plastic, compostable coffee cups or to ask those who aren’t using them, to use them! Made by Boomerang Alliance, you can check out the cards here.
Prices are: T-shirts/clothing $20 each inc. postage. Activist Pack (3 bags, 25 cards) $20 inc. postage.
Check out a list of documentaries, websites and apps to inspire your SUPtember
Download our PDF of 5 things to do in SUPtember
Help ban single-use plastics, sign a petition: the Australian Marine Conservation Society is calling for a nation-wide ban on a range of SUPs. And lets get rid of those tiny sushi soy sauce fish, and helium balloons which eventually pop and often end up in oceans…
And use cloth face masks, not disposables!
| Name of Documentary/Website/App | Link | Topic/Key Words | More info |
| Single-use plastics (SUPs) | |||
| Shearwaters on Lord Howe Island | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCC2cZnMieY | Plastic pollution killing sea birds | Shearwaters are dying of starvation because they are eating plastic, mistaking it for food. Warning: images may upset some viewers. |
| Beached Az: whale bro, you dead as? | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQwIhndkN3Q | The Beached Az team take on plastic – we are not sure whether to laugh or cry! | If you haven’t come across Beached Az before, watch the first episode for context: Beached Az: The Seagull. Ep 1, Series 1 |
| ABC’s War on Waste | iview.abc.net.au/show/war-on-waste | Litter, SUPs, recycling crisis | The ABC doco series that shook the nation into more action around SUPs. Series 2 is now on ABC iview. |
| Boomerang Alliance | boomerangalliance.org.au | Info and campaigns against SUPs | This website is SUP Central! All you need to know about SUPs and current campaigns is here. |
| Clean Up Australia Day | Litter, SUPs | This is not just one day of the year… Good info and campaigns year round. | |
| Plastic Free Sutherland Shire, Litter Free Parramatta River, Cooks River Alliance | On Facebook | These Facebook groups are excellent for those paddling on these rivers, but are also relevant to anyone as there are good ideas and information! Plastic Free Sutherland Shire in particular has good info on alternatives to SUPs, stats about plastic litter, etc. | |
| Litter Stopper app | Litterstopper.com | The app we use to record rubbish collected by paddlers | · Click on Start Clean
· Click on Registered Organisation · Click on PaddleNSW and again on the next page · Now follow the instructions – in ‘Enter your location’ enter your Club/group name, there is a chance to pin the exact spot where you did the clean-up later, and to submit photos. · Any problems, let us know and we can contact the app developer |
| Avoid cling wrap – make your own beeswax wraps | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ibr6-_x3jE | ||
| Make your own no-sew shopping bags from old t-shirts | DIY | NO Sew T-Shirt Bag (SO Easy!!) | Ditch those “reusable” 15c plastic bags or synthetic “green bags” which still have a limited life and are supporting a plastic economy. Recycle your t-shirts instead! | |
| Climate Change | |||
| Before the Flood | Before the Flood Full Movie National Geographic | Climate change activism | Leonardo Dicaprio goes on a 3 year journey around the world, to document the devastating impacts of climate change on our planet, questions and demands bold action from big political leaders for change. |
| Other must-see websites | |||
| Australian Marine Conservation Society | marineconservation.org.au | Plastic pollution, marine protection | Lots of campaigns, resources and info around protecting our oceans and marine wildlife. |
| Ocean Crusaders: school student lessons/activities | oceancrusaders.org/education/australian-lessons | Activities/lessons, plastic pollution, marine protection | Lessons/activities on marine litter, marine wildlife, coral reefs and more. |
| CSIRO environmental articles | blog.csiro.au/category/environment | Environmental issues | Environmental issues and new environmental innovations |
| ABC news – environment | www.abc.net.au/news/environment/ | Environmental news | A range of environmental news. |
